Stocking stretcher and drier



June 13, 1933- A. E. KINSLEY Er AL STOCKING STRETCHER AND DRIER Filed. Jan. 18, 1932 R U m m W 6 a m nMWf ATT were Patented June 13, 1933 time rarer eerie ALBERT E.KI1\TSLEY, or nonwroir, Am c'osnnve A. acres, or KENWGOD, new YORK STQCKING STRETCHER AND DRIER Application filed January 18, 1932.

This invention relates to a drier frame adapted to be hung upon a line or other suitable support for receiving and supporting more or less dampvarticles while drying and refers more particularly to adevice Another object is to. provide the frames with cooperative means for frictionally holding the clamping frame in its closed position.

Another object is to provide the frames with cooperative means for holding the clamping frame in an'open position at substantially right angles to that of the main frame so that when the device is inverted the open clamping frame may be used as a supporting base for holding the main frame in an inverted upright position to facilitate drawing of the stocking or analogous article over and upon the main frame. Another object'is to provide the drying device with an inverted V-shaped hanger arranged with itsvertex uppermost and at a sufiiciently sharp angle to frictionally' wedge against a line or other support and thereby to reduce the liability of displacement of the device from its support.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description. 7

In the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a drier frame adapted to be used for stretching and drying stockings and analogous articles, a part of the supporting line being shown by dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of 45 the same device taken in the plane of line,

22, Figure l in which the clamping frame is shown by dotted lines in its open position at substantially right angles to the main frame.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation,

condition.

Serial No. 587,330.

partly in section, of the upper left-hand corner ofthe structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional View. taken in the plane of line 44, Figure 1, except that the drier frame is inverted and its clamping frame opened to an angle ofabout 90 degrees relatively to the main frame. V

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of line 5-5 Figure 4, showing more particularly the cooperative means-between the frames for holding the clamping frame in its open position.

Figure 6 is a front face vieW of the upper portion of the drier showing a slightly modified form of hanger.

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in sec- 7 catinga fiat support upon which the, drier frame is hung. V

As illustrated, this drying device comprises a main supporting frame having a leg portion --l and a foot portion 2, the upper-end of the leg portion being connected by a cross bar3 welded or otherwise secured to the side portions to form an integral part thereof.

In other Words, the main frame preferably consists of a single piece of wire bent to form the leg portion 1 and foot portion 2 together with the cross bar 3 so that the end of. the wires may be welded to each other any point throughout the length of the frame, the major portions of the wire aside from the foot 2 and top of the leg 3 being arranged in spaced relation to conform approximately to the transverse Width of a stocking for stretching the same while drying and thus permittin the article to dry in a substantially smooth The intermediate portions of the side wires of the leg portion of the drier frame are connected by a subs'tantiallyfiat metal cross bar iin longitudinally spaced re lation to the cross bar 3' corresponding approximately to the length of the clampmg frame, presently described, the wires of the leg portion registering with the ends of the cross bar 4 being indented or depressed inwardly at -5- a distance corresponding approximately to the thickness of the adjacent ends of the cross bar so that said ends may be substantially flush with the outer faces of the adjacent portions of the wires to permit the stocking to be radially drawn over the toe and leg portions of the frame. V l

A U-shaped clamping frame 6 preferably of spring wire, has the'ends of its opposite arms 6- provided with eyes 7- which are hinged to the opposite ends of the cross bar 3 just inside of the adjacent side wires of the leg portion -1, the other ends of said arms being connected by a cross bar 8 of approximately the same transverse width as the corresponding width of the leg portion of the main frame.

The opposite arms 6' of the clamping frame .6 are tensioned to normally spring outwardly or away from each other and are provided near their upper ends with lateral ofiset portions 9- which are normally a distance apart slightly greater than the distance between the inner faces of the adjacent side wires of the leg portion 1 so that when the clamping frame is closed upon the main frame or upon the work carried thereby, the offset portions 9- will partially overlap upon the rear faces of the adjacent wires of the leg portion'--1- to frictionally hold the clamping frame in its closed position. V

That is, the offset portions .--9- constitute cams, which, when the clamping frame is closed, ride across and against the inner faces of the adjacent portions of the side wires of the main frame tothe rear side thereof in which latter position they are free to spring laterally to partially overlap upon the corresponding faces of their respective wires of the leg portion, while the remaining lower portions ofthe clamping frame including the cross bar 8 will lie ina plane closely adjacent the front face of the cross bar 4L-. 7

It is, of course, understood that during this closing movement of the clamping frame -6- the opposite-arms 6 will be compressed inwardly against their own tension while passing across and against the inner sides of the adjacent side wires of the leg portion .1 of the main supporting frame and will then spring outwardly into overlapping relation with the rear faces of said wires to yieldingly and frictionally hold the clamping frame in its closed position. I

When the clamping frame is open, as for example, to the position shown by dotted lines in Figures 2, 4 and5, the camportions -9 on the arms 6- will be returned across and against the inner faces of the opposite side wires of the leg portion 1- until they pass to the front side of said wires after which the frame may be rocked to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

When drawing the stocking or similar article over the foot portion and leg portion of the drier frame, it is desirable to have the clamping frame in a full open po- 7 sition or at substantially right angles to the main frame and in order that it may be temporarily held in this position during the placing of the stocking on the frame portions, the eyes 7 are depressed inwardly toward each other at 10-- to form recesses 10 for receiving the adjacent portions of the side wires of the leg portion 1- when the clamping frame is swung to a position at approximately right angles to the main frame as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2.

It will be remembered that the arms 6- of the clamping frame are normally tensioned to spring outwardly or away from each other so that when the clamping frame is adjusted to its open position, as previously described, the recesses -'-10 will register with the adjacent portions of the opposite wires of the leg portion -l so that when said wires are engaged in their corresponding recesses the clamping frame will be frictionally held in its open position.

This means for frictionally holding the clamping framein its open position or at right angles to the main frame, allows the entire drying device to be inverted and temporarily supported in an inverted upright position by the open clamping frame as indicated more clearly. in Figure 4, thus permitting the stocking or similar article to be drawn from the top downwardly over the foot and leg portions of the main frame after which the clamping frame may be closed by hand to hold the stocking in drying position upon the main frame.

In order thattheclamping frame may be "manipulated conveniently, a handle bar In View of the fact that the hinge point -1lis co-axial with the eyes 7- of the'clamping frame, itis evident that both the handle bar and clamping frame are free to move about the common axis of the cross bar 3.

Suitable means is provided for supporting the drier frame from a line A, Figure 1 or froma fiat support as A, Figures 6 and 7, and for this purpose is provided a hanger loop 13 which, in this instance forms a continuation or extension of the' handle bar 11 and is, therefore, connected to the cross bar 3 of the main frame.

The loop 13 is preferably V-shaped with its apex uppermost and at a relatively sharp angle so that it may wedge upon the supporting line A-.

The opposite arms of the loop -l3, therefore, diverge downwardly, and are provided near their lower ends with inwardly projecting offset portions lt and l5, one of which as -15 is relatively movable toward'and from the other to permit the loop to be placed over and uponthe line as A- while the offset portions on the lower ends of the loop serve to prevent accidental upward displacement of the hanger from the supporting line.

If desired, the ofiset l5 may be extended in a straight line across the opening in the loop as shown at l5 in Figures 6 and 7 in which case the opposite offset portions may be operated to engage opposite faces of a relatively flat support as A'- as shown more clearly in Figure 7 to hold the the hanger and drier frame supported thereby against relative turning movement on said support.

Operation to rest upon a table or other support whereupon the'stocking or other similar article may be drawn downwardly over the foot portion 2 and leg portion 1 and be yond the cross bar -4 after which the clamping frame may be closed to hold the article in drying position upon the frame. I

The hanger loop 13 is then placed over and upon the line A- or the flat support A shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 7 respectively to hold the frame with the article thereon in drying position with the assurance that when dried it will be substantially smooth throughout its area.

When the article is dried the clamping frame -6- may be opened through the medium of its handle 12 to permit the stocking to be withdrawn from the frame either before or after removing said frame from the line A. or other support A-.

The construction described is particularly simple, practical and eflicient but obviously various changes may be made in the detail construction thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In a device for supporting damp articles for drying,

a main frame having opposite upright side bars, vertically spaced cross bars connecting the upright bars, and a clamping frame hinged to one of the cross bars and movable into and out of engagement with the other cross-bar.

2. In a device for holding damp articles for drying, a main frame, a clamping frame hinged to the main frame, said frames having co-operative means for frictionally holding the clamping frame in an open position at substantially right angles to the main frame.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 10th day of December 1931.

OORIN NA A. NOYES.

ALBERT E. KINSLEY. 

